Baby jumper



Sept. 18, 1962 L. H. COHN 3,054,591

BABY JUMPER Filed Aug. 8, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 B F G 4 INVENTOR l 44 LAWRENCE H.6OHN

ATTORNEYS.

Sept. 18, 1962 CQHN 3,054,591

BABY JUMPER Filed Aug. 8, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 44 10 FIG. 8

I 13 -v I0 INVENTOR LAWRENCE H. COHN BY colvw. Q0446 ATTORNEYS.

Patented Sept. 18, 1%62 fine 3,054,591 BABY JUMPER Lawrence H. Cohn, University City, Mo., assignor to Welsh Company, St. Louis, Mo., a corporation of Missouri Filed Aug. 8, 1960, Ser. No. 48,318 Claims. (Cl. 248-399) This invention relates generally to improvements in a baby jumper, and more particularly to an improved mechanism for resiliently supporting the jumper in an erected position, yet enabling collapse or folding of the item when desired.

An important object is to provide a baby jumper that includes a seat supported above the ground by a frame capable of being moved from a folded to an erected position, the frame including support elements operatively interconnected by a resilient spring means that tends to maintain the jumper in an erected position yet permits controlled oscillating movement of the seat in an up and down direction under stressing of the spring means upon jumping or bouncing action of the child seated in the jumper.

Another important object is achieved by the provision of a frame including four support elements pivoted together to complete a quadrangle for collapsibly supporting a seat above the ground, a spring means having one end connected to one of the support elements, and means attached to an adjoining support element for adjustably locating and retaining the other end of the spring means incident to folding or erecting the jumper.

Other important advantages are afforded by a stop means adapted to retain or fix the adjustable spring end upon erection of the jumper so as to realize the springing movement of the frame actuated by the bouncing of the seated child.

Another important object is achieved by providing means for adjustably locating and fixing the spring means so that the jumper frame can be selectively erected to diiferent heights to accommodate children of different sizes. In order for a child to take best advantage of the jumper, the heighth of the seat must be adjusted so that the childs feet can touch the ground. This condition enables therchild to jump more easily and thereby enjoy the full play value of the item for which it was designed. Still another important objective is provided bymeans that fix the angular disposition of the spring means relative to the support element to which one spring end is connected so that a lesser effective force is exerted perpendicular to the support element when the jumper is in a relatively lower erected position than when maintained in a relatively higher erected position, thereby enabling a smaller child to more easily cause resilient springing action of the pivoted frame by bouncing in the seat.

Yet another important object is to afford an improved mechanism mounting the spring means between the adjoining support elements of the frame for selectively maintaining the jumper in erected position or selectively permitting the jumper to be folded as mentioned previ ously.

An important object is achieved by the provision of a plate having an elongate slot within which a rod is slidably received, the rod being attached to one end of the spring and being movable against a stop shoulder on the plate adjacent the slot incident to erection of the jumper frame so as to provide a spring anchorage.

Another important object is to provide a baby jumper that is simple and durable in construction, economical to manufacture and assemble, efficient in operation, and

which can be quickly and easily erected or folded.

The foregoing and numerous other objects and advantages of the invention will more clearly appear from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment, particularly when considered in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the baby jumper;

FIG. 2 is a front elevational view;

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view as seen from the left of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a schematic view illustrating a force vector diagram based on the arrangement of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged, fragmentary side elevational view of the spring connection shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view similar to that illustrated in FIG. 3, but showing the seat in an adjusted lower-heighth position;

FIG. 7 is a force vector diagram based on the arrangement shown in FIG. 6, and

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of the baby jumper in a folded position.

Referring now by characters of reference to the drawings, it is seen that the baby jumper frame includes a plurality of support elements. One of the support elements is a U-shaped horizontal base frame 10 adapted to rest on a supporting subjacent surface such as a floor. As is best illustrated in FIG. 1, the base frame 10 includes parallel spaced side frame members 11 interconnected at the front by a web portion 12.

Located above the base frame 10 is a horizontal U-shaped seat support frame 13. As is best seen in FIG. 1, the seat support frame 13 includes spaced parallel side members 14 interconnected at the front by a web member 15.

The base frame 10 and seat support frame 13 are interconnected at each side of the jumper by a pair of braces 16 and 17. More particularly, each front brace 16 has one end pivotally connected by pivot pin 20 to its associated side member 11 of base frame 10, while the other end of each brace 16 is pivotally connected by pin 21 to its associated side member 14 of the seat support frame 13. Braces 17 are spaced rearwardly from braces 16 and are maintained in substantially parallel relation. One end of each rear brace 17 is pivotally attached by pivot pin 22 to its associated side member 11 of the base frame 10, while the opposite end of brace 17 is pivotally attached by pivot pin 23 to the associated side member 14 of the seat support frame 13.

That portion of the base frame 10 located between pivot pins 26 and 22, and that portion of the seat support frame 13 located between the pivot pins 21 and 23, together with the braces 16 and 17 at each side of the jumper, afford a quadrangle. This mechanism serves to hold and maintain the seat support frame 13 in parallel relation to the base frame 10 and hence parallel to the floor, at all times and in all adjusted heighth positions. The seat support frame 13 is parallel to the base frame it when in a folded position as is best seen in FIG. 8, is parallel when fully erected as is seen in FIG. 1, and is maintained in parallel relation in all adjusted positions in between while being erected or folded as suggested by FIG. 6.

A U-shaped wire frame 24 is pivoted to the rear of the seat support frame 13 just forward of the pivot pins 23 forming the attachment for rear braces 17. A fabric seat having a back portion 25 formed as a pocket is slipped over the back frame 24.

The side panels 26 of the fabric seat are folded and snapped over the side members 14 of the seat support .frame 13, while the forward portion of the seat is supported by a fabric strip 27 snapped on to a cross rod (not shown) extending between the two rearwardly projecting side members 14. This cross rod may also support beads 30 and the rear portion of a tray 31, the

tray being supported at its forward edge by the web member of the seat support frame 13.

The mechanism which maintains the baby jumper in its erect position, which provides resiliency to the jumper, and which permits quick and easy erection and collapse of the item is shown in FIGS. 1-3 but is shown in greater detail in FIG. 5.

Attached to the inside of base frame 10 at each side of the jumper, is a plate 32. Specifically, the plate 32 overlaps pivot pin and serves to engage the front brace 16 as the brace 16 is raised and lowered. The engagement of plate 32 with front brace 16 increases the rigidity and strength of the jumper frame by precluding lateral sway.

Formed in plate 32 is an elongate slot 33 that extends generally in a fore and aft direction. As is best seen in FIG. 5, the slot 33 is inclined slightly downwardly from its rearmost limit to its foremost limit. A plurality of offset notches 34, 35 and 36 are formed in spaced relation along slot 33. These notches are best illustarted in FIG. 5. While the embodiment disclosed and presently described shows a total of three notches 34-36, it will be understood that the jumper can be advantageously utilized with only a single notch and that additional advantages and functional results can be obtained by utilizing two or more such notches, all as will be explained subsequently. The forward edges of the notches 34-36 define stop shoulders 37, 40 and 41 respectively.

At each side of the jumper is a coil spring 42, the coil spring 42 having one end attached to front brace 16 by pin 43 and having the opposite end attached to a rod 44. The rod 44 extends transversely of the baby jumper frame, the outer ends of such rod 44 being received in slots 33 formed in the laterally spaced plates 32. The size of rod 44 is such that it'can slidably move along slots 33 and move selectively into any one of the offset notches 34-36.

It is thought that the operation and functional advantages of the baby jumper has become fully apparent from the foregoing detailed description of parts, but for completeness of disclosure, the erection and folding of the jumper to various heights positions will be briefly set forth.

It will be assumed that the baby jumper is in a completely collapsed condition as is illustrated in FIG. 8. In this position, the braces 16 and 17 are folded forwardly so that the seat support frame 13 is located closely adjacent the base frame 10. Moreover, the wire frame 24 of the seat back rest is folded forwardly so as to lie substantially flat over the seat support frame 13. The rod 44 is moved to its forwardmost position in plate slots 33. It is preferred that rod 44 be operatively disengaged from the plates 32, yet held thereby, so that the springs 42 are unstressed.

In order to erect the baby jumper fully, the seat support frame 13'is gripped and moved upwardly and rearwardly as permitted by the pivoted braces 16 and 17.

Upon erection, the rod 44 moves rearwardly in the plate slots 33 until it is aligned with the rearmost notches 34. The operator moves the rod 44 into the notches 34 so that the rod operatively engages the stop abutments 37 partially defining the notches 34. The seat support frame 13 is maintained in a horizontal position parallel to the base frame 10 by the quadrangle aiforded by the support elements as described previously. Then, the U-shaped wire frame 24 is raised, and the item is conditioned to receive a child.

The springs 42 tend to urge the braces 16 and 17 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 3, and hence tends to urge the frame to a fully erected position as shown. A child seated in the jumper can bounce or jump while playing. Such action causes the seat to move downwardly against the loading of springs 42. After the seat has moved downwardly to a limited extent under the resilient action of springs 42, the springs 42 then act to raise the seat back to its fully erected position. Thus it is seen that the child by his own actions while seated in the jumper can cause the seat to move resiliently in an up and down direction to a limited extent, all of which action and movement greatly pleases a child of tender years.

For reasons which will appear later, FIG. 4 shows a vector diagram of the forces exerted by springs 42 on the front braces 16. Symbol A represents the force exerted by each spring 42 in the direction of such spring. The vector component perpendicular to the brace 16 is illustrated by symbol B. The magnitude of vector B is the cosine of the angle between vectors A and B. The force represented by vector B is the effective force operating to move the brace 16 in a counterclockwise direction, and hence operating to lift or raise the jumper frame to its erected position. It will be understood that this vector diagram represents the condition existing when rod 44 is located in the rearmost notches 34 as is illustrated in FIG. 3.

In order for the child to obtain the maximum amount of enjoyment from the jumper, it is desirable that the childs feet touch the floor. Obviously, when the childs feet touch the floor it is easier for the child to bounce or jump while seated.

The fully erected position of the jumper as is illustrated in FIG. 3 accommodates the larger child for which this jumper is designed. A smaller child when seated in the jumper while fully erected would be at a disadvantage because the childs feet would not touch the floor. Therefore, it is desirable that the seat of the jumper be lowered slightly'or sufliciently so that the smaller childs feet can touch the floor while the child is seated.

In lowering or adjusting the heighth position of the seat to accommodate the smaller child, the rod is moved along slots 33 until it comes opposite either of the other notches 35 or 36. Assuming that the rod 44 is moved into the intermediate notches 35, the braces 16 and 17 will be inclined forwardly to a greater degree as is shown in FIG. 6 than such braces are inclined when fully erected as shown in FIG. 3. Consequently, the seat support frame 13 is brought closer to the base frame 10 and the seat is located in a lower heighth position. Of course, if necessary, depending upon the size of the child utilizing the jumper the seat can be brought to a still lower heighth position by moving the rod 44 into the forwardmost notches 36.

Because the smaller child is usually lighter in weight, it

is desirable that a lesser spring force be exerted opera tively on the braces 16 so that such smaller child can easily move the seat up and down as a result of a bouncing action. This result is obtained by the particular arrangement and connection of the springs 42 with the plates 32 and front braces 16.

As is illustrated in the vector diagram of FIG. 7, which represents the condition existing when the frame components of the jumper are in the adjusted heighth position shown in FIG. 6, the vector A assumes the direction of spring 42 and if of the same magnitude as the force vector A in FIG. 4. Again, the vector B is perpendicular to the front brace 16 and the magnitude of such vector B is the effective lifting force on the frame tending to hold the seat in the adjusted erected position of FIG. 6. The magnitude of vector 3' is the cosine of the angle between vector A and B. Because of the fact that brace 16 is inclined forwardly to a greater degree and spring 42 is inclined more horizontally than the relative position of such elements as shown in FIG. 3, the magnitude of vector B is less than the magnitude of force vector B.

A comparison of these vector diagrams FIGS. 4 and 7 lead to the conclusion that a lesser effective force is exerted on braces 16 by the springs 42 when the seat is in the lower adjusted position of FIG. 6 than is exerted when the seat is fully erected as shown in FIG. 3. This condition means that it is easier to actuate the seat in an up and down direction when the seat is in the lower adjusted heighth position of FIG. 6 than is possible when fully erected. Of course, for the reasons discussed previously, this is highly advantageous because of the fact that the child utilizing the jumper in the lower adjusted heighth position is of a lesser weight than the child utilizing the jumper in a fully erected position.

To accommodate children of still smaller size the rod 44 can be conveniently relocated in the forwardmost notches 36 to engage stop shoulders 41. The seat will be lowered still further and the effective lifting force exerted on braces 16 by springs 42 will be even less than that magnitude indicated by vector B in FIG. 7.

In order to collapse the jumper frame fully, the rod 44 is removed from the notches in which it is located and moved forwardly in plate slots 33 to the forwardmost position illustrated in FIG. 8. The seat support frame 13 is consequently moved to a position closely adjacent the base frame as permitted by the pivotal action of braces 16 and 17.

Although the invention has been described by making detailed reference to a single preferred embodiment, such detail is to be understood in an instructive, rather than in any restrictive sense, many variants being possible within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a collapsible baby jumper, a frame comprising four support elements, means pivotally joining said support elements together to form a quadrangle for collapsibly supporting a seat above the ground, at least one spring connected at one end to one of said support elements, a plate attached to an adjoining support element, the plate being provided with an elongate slot extending in a fore and aft direction toward and away from the support element to which the spring is connected, the slot including an offset notch defining a stop shoulder on said plate, a rod slidably received and guided in said slot and selectively movable against said stop shoulder upon erection of said support elements, the other end of said spring being connected to said rod, said stop shoulder retaining the rod when the spring is stressed to maintain the jumper in erect position, the rod being selectively disengageable from said stop shoulder and movable along said slot to permit collapse of said support elements.

2. In a collapsible baby jumper, a frame comprising four support elements, means pivotally joining said support elements together to form a quadrangle for collapsibly supporting a seat above the ground, at least one spring connected at one end to one of said support elements, a plate attached to an adjoining support element, the plate being provided with an elongate slot extending generally in a fore and aft direction toward and from the support element to which the spring is connected, the slot including a plurality of offset notches, each notch defining a stop shoulder on said plates, and a rod slidably received and guided in said slot and selectively movable into any one of said notches to engage a stop shoulder, the other end of said spring being connected to said rod, each said step shoulder retaining the rod when the spring is stressed to maintain the jumper in one of a plurality of erected height positions.

3. In a collapsible baby jumper, a frame comprising four support elements, means pivotally joining said support elements together to form a quadrangle for collapsibly supporting a seat above the ground, at least one spring connected at one end to one of said support elements, a plate attached to an adjoining support element, one of said support elements laterally engaging the plate upon relative pivotal movement to increase the rigidity of said frame when erected, the plate being provided with a slot extending toward and from the support element to which the spring is connected, a stop shoulder on said plate adjacent said slot, and means slidably received and guided in said slot and movable against said stop member upon erection of said element, said means being connected to the other end of said spring, said stop shoulder retaining the last said spring end when the spring is stressed to maintain the jumper in erected position.

4. In a collapsible baby jumper, a frame comprising four support elements, means pivotally joining said support elements together to form a quadrangle for collapsibly supporting a seat above the ground, at least one spring connected at one end to one of said support elements, a plate attached to an adjoining element, the plate being provided with an elongate slot extending generally in a fore and aft direction toward and away from the support element to which the spring is connected, the plate including a plurality of stop shoulders spaced along said slot, and a rod slidably received in said slot and selectively movable against any one of said stop shoulders upon erection of said support elements, the other end of said spring being connected to said rod, each said stop shoulder retaining the rod when the spring is stressed to maintain the jumper in an erected position, one of said stop shoulders retaining the rod to maintain the jumper in a relatively lower erected position than another said stop shoulder, when the rod engages one stop shoulder to maintain the jumper in the said relatively lower erected position the spring is angularly related to the support element to which the spring end is connected so that a lesser force is exerted perpendicular to the last said support element than is exerted when the rod engages another stop shoulder to maintain the jumper in a relatively higher erected position in which the angular relation of the spring and the same support element is different.

5. In a collapsible baby jumper, a generally horizontal base frame, a seat support above the base frame, at least one brace pivoted to the base frame and to the seat support, a plate attached to said base frame, the plate being provided with a slot extending generally in a fore and aft direction toward and from the said brace and an ofiset notch, a rod slidably received in said slot, and a spring connected at one end to said brace and connected to the other end to said rod, said rod being movable along and guided by said slot selectively into said notch for retention when said spring is stressed to maintain said jumper in an erected position.

6. The combination and arrangement of elements as recited above in claim 5, but further characterized in that said slot includes a plurality of offset notches, each notch defining a stop shoulder on said plate, and the rod being slidably received in said slot and selectively movable into any one of said notches to engage a stop shoulder upon erection, said stop shoulders acting through said spring to hold its associated brace in different inclined positions and thereby hold the jumper in a plurality of erected height positions.

7. The combination and arrangement of elements as recited above in claim 6, but further characterized in that one of said stop shoulders retains the rod to maintain the jumper in a relatively lower erected position than another said stop shoulder, and when the rod engages one stop shoulder to maintain the jumper in the said relatively lower erected position the spring is angularly related to the brace to which the spring end is connected so that a lesser force is exerted perpendicular to the said brace than is exerted when the rod engages another stop shoulder to maintain the jumper in a relatively higher erected position in which the angular relation of the spring and the said brace is different.

8. A collapsible baby jumper comprising a generally horizontal base frame, a seat support above the base frame, frame means interconnecting each side of said seat support to said base frame, each frame means including a pair of braces pivoted to said seat support and to said base frame to complete a quadrangle, a plate attached to said base frame, the plate being provided with a slot extending in a fore and aft direction, and a stop shoulder on said plate adjacent said slot, a rod extending transversely between said plates and having ends slidably received in said slots, and at least one spring having one end connected to one of said braces and having the other end connected to said rod, said rod being selectively movable against said stop shoulder for retention when the spring is stressed to maintain said jumper in an erected position, and said rod being movable in said slots to enable erection or collapse of the braces, the slots guiding said rod to and from said stop shoulder.

9. The combination and arrangement of elements as recited above in claim 8, but further characterized in that one of the braces engages the side of said plate at each side of the jumper upon relative pivotal movement of the brace and base frame so as to increase the rigidity of the jumper in the erected position.

10. The combination and arrangement of elements as recited above in claim 8, but further characterized in that the slot in each plate includes a plurality of stop shoulders, the transverse rod being selectively movable against any one of said stop shoulders upon erection of said jumper, said stop shoulders retaining the rod when the spring is stressed to maintain said jumper in a plurality of erected positions of ditferent heights, one of said stop shoulders retains the transverse rod so as to maintain the jumper in a relatively lower erected position than another stop shoulder, and when the rod engages one stop shoulder on each plate to maintain the jumper in the said relatively lower erected position the spring is angularly re References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 367,020 Barlow July 26, 1887' 1,580,508 Liles Apr. 13, 1926 1,667,362 Van der Vliet Apr. 24, 1928 2,149,945 Le Grand Mar. 7, 1939 2,299,928 Potter Oct. 27, 1942 2,927,628 Gill Mar. 8, 1960 FOREIGN PATENTS 525,989 Great Britain Sept. 9, 1940 

